About Us

Gillespie Macandrew LLP is an independent Scottish law firm with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth.  We provide expert legal advice to businesses and individuals and their families on a wide range of legal and tax matters and are leading advisors to the rural, energy, charity and property sectors

At Gillespie Macandrew we custom design our advice around our clients.

Our commitment to ESG

Gillespie Macandrew is driving positive change for a sustainable future through responsible business practices, social equity, and environmental stewardship.

At Gillespie Macandrew, our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ethos is deeply interwoven with our business operations, reflecting a commitment to sustainable growth and ethical practices as well as legal excellence.

Our commitment to ESG is rooted in the recognition that responsible business practices are not only beneficial but essential for long-term success – for us as a firm, for our clients and for the communities in which we work. This involves integrating ESG considerations into our client relationships, legal services, internal operations, and community engagement, ensuring that every facet of our work contributes positively to our collective social, environmental, and economic objectives.

GM’s eight ESG pillars

1. Climate action leadership: We are committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2035, leading the Scottish legal sector in climate action.
2. Social responsibility: Our firm promotes social impact, responsibility and equality, reducing inequalities through our legal services and community initiatives.
3. Employee well-being and professional growth: We prioritise the well-being and development of our team, ensuring a supportive and inclusive workplace.
4. Governance and transparency: We work hard to maintain the highest standards of governance, operating with transparency and integrity.
5. Sustainable growth: We are helping to drive economic growth in Scotland by advising clients on projects contributing to the achievement of national and global ESG goals.
6. Community engagement: We are deeply rooted in our local communities as well as the legal sector, contributing to local prosperity, philanthropy and social well-being.
7. Partnerships for progress: Through strategic partnerships we’re advancing the UN SDGs and amplifying our positive impact.
8. Ethical client service: We deliver our legal advice ethically, ensuring that our ESG values align with our client work.

Advancing the UN SDGs

Central to our ESG strategy is our alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The United Nations set out the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. These are a set of 17 objectives aimed at eradicating poverty, conserving the environment, and achieving peace and wellbeing for everyone by the year 2030. These goals are interconnected, acknowledging that progress in one area influences others. The focus is on a balanced approach that considers social, economic, and environmental factors.

We have chosen four UN Sustainable Development Goals to focus on, which we feel best reflect and align with our ESG ambitions. The goals we have chosen to focus on are:

More information about each goal is available on the UN Development Programme website.

GOAL 8: Decent work and economic growth

GOAL 10: Reduced inequalities

GOAL 13: Climate action

GOAL 17: Partnerships for the goals

By taking the spirit of each of these SDGs and embedding these goals into our practices, we’re able to better understand the impact of our ESG activities, in a global context, as well as how we, as a business, are contributing to achieving them. By working to advance the UN SDGs we not only champion a sustainable future but also enhance our operational strategies in ways that foster innovation, enhance collaboration and drive progress across all levels of our firm.

Who we partner with

Our ESG Committee

If you would like to contact Gillespie Macandrew to discuss our commitment to ESG, please email esg@gillespiemacandrew.co.uk or one of the members of our ESG Committee:

• Amy McDowell 
• Robert Graham-Campbell
• Lynda Linden

ESG Priorities

Environmental

At Gillespie Macandrew, our commitment to the environment is integral to our operations, with a clear target to achieve Net Zero by 2035. We are reducing our environmental footprint by minimising climate impacts, optimising energy use, and curbing pollution. Our approach encompasses embedding sustainable practices across the firm and actively engaging our staff in environmental education and initiatives, ensuring they play a vital role in our collective environmental responsibility.

Read our Environmental Policy.

Social

Our social responsibilities are centred around fostering an inclusive, supportive workplace and positively impacting our communities. By equipping our staff with the necessary tools and training, we support their professional growth and wellbeing. Our commitment extends beyond internal operations to enriching our wider community through ongoing charitable engagements and promoting equality, integrity, and teamwork as fundamental components of our business ethos.

Read our Living Wage Statement.

Read our Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Statement

Governance

Governance at Gillespie Macandrew is underpinned by transparency and accountability. We are clear in defining and reviewing our ESG performance targets to foster a culture where every contribution towards these objectives is valued. We communicate progress, success and challenges in meeting them. Our policies and decision-making processes are aligned with our ethical standards, ensuring that we work collaboratively with partners who share our commitment to these principles, thereby enhancing our collective ESG impact.

Read our Ethical Business statements, below.

GM in the Community

We have a long and proud history of community involvement and support a variety of causes through community projects and associations. In each of the last 8 years, we donated the equivalent of 1% of our annual pre-tax profits to our charity partners. In the previous financial year this was shared between Alzheimer Scotland and the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity. In total we have donated over £258,000 over the 8 year period to date.

In 2024 we will be reviewing this process to ensure our charitable giving continues to align with our ESG goals and in consultation with the firm’s staff and members.

Volunteering at Gillespie Macandrew

In addition, each member of staff is given a paid day of leave each year to volunteer to support local causes and the firm also supports charities through pro bono work at a strategic and operational level.

In 2024 we are looking at ways to expand our volunteering support to local causes.

Ethical Business

Leading by example and being an ethical business is important to us at Gillespie Macandrew.

• Modern Slavery Statement
• Anti-Bribery and Corruption Statement
• Environmental Policy
• Living Wage Statement
• Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Statement
• Whistleblowing Statement
• Anti-Money Laundering Statement
• Anti-Tax Evasion Statement

International Network

Lexwork International is a trusted referral network consisting of high-quality independent law firms across the Americas, Europe and Asia.  The firm has been a member since 1995 and has significant experience of co-ordinating international projects and transactions.